Just a couple of months before
Christopher Nolan reignited interest in the romantic triangles that can occur
among magicians with his expensive star studded epic The Prestige and a month after Woody Allen’s own magic show Scoop (both starring Hugh Jackman
incidentally), writer-director Neil Burger (Divergent,
The Upside) released this
considerably smaller but no less engaging indie thriller The Illusionist. Though over
the years The Prestige would
overshadow the picture that beat it to the finish line, The Illusionist on its own terms remains a solidly crafted
fantastical romantic fairy tale.
Loosely based on Steven Millhauser’s
short story Eisenheim the Magician peppered
with a fictionalized dramatization of the Mayerling incident, this 2006
costumed fantasy period thriller tells the story of Eisenheim (Edward Norton),
an illusionist in late nineteenth-century Vienna. Despite captivating the public with his wild
brand of magic trickery, he finds himself under investigation from the
nefarious Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewell) and his Chief Inspector Walter
Uhl (Paul Giamatti).
Matters are further
complicated when his fiancée the Duchess Sophie von Teschen (Jessica Biel) rekindles
a childhood friendship with Eisenheim which blossoms into a mutual romance, invariably
stirring the violent jealousies of Leopold, conjuring up madness, murder and
some of the magician’s most impressive work to come yet.
Broad melodrama dressed with
period gloss and that golden November look characteristic of other 2006 fantasy
features including Darren Aronofsky’s The
Fountain, The Illusionist is a
fun dose of romantic escapism thanks to the leading performances of Paul
Giamatti and Edward Norton who are instantly magnetic onscreen despite having
to don some occasionally hokey period accents.
Norton makes the illusionist
mysterious in his craft while still being relatable as a fellow human though at
times the level of his illusions force viewers to suspend their disbelief. Giamatti is always good no matter the role,
bringing with him a sense of command despite being under the rule of the
reptilian Leopold with Sewell coming dangerously close to chewing up the
scenery. Biel provides a strong romantic
lead and intelligent counter to her boorish and idiotic fiancée and it’s a
shame we haven’t seen her in more films as of late.
The triangular relationship
with Leopold and Sophie von Teschen is indeed reminiscent of Westley’s battles
with Prince Humperdinck over Buttercup in The
Princess Bride, though that film treated the subject as meta-satirical
comedy rather than a straightforward fantasy period flick. It’s a trope at this point but the
performances and quality of the filmmaking are so good we hardly care.
Where the film works best are in the dark
interiors of the theater with the soft golden glow of candlelight, exquisitely
shot and lit by Dick Pope. Coupled with
production design by Ondrej Nekvasil which immediately draws the viewer into a
theatrical setting with the period lighting and costumed cast, we feel
transported back in time where the lines between magic and practical trickery
was especially difficult to discern.
Aiding the film’s mood with
an occasional sense of urgency is ingenious minimalist composer Philip Glass’ evocative
score. Always prolific and hypnotic to
the ears, Glass’ score while not bearing the thundering scope of his Qatsi films or close to topping the
heights set by his Mishima: A Life in Four
Chapters soundtrack remains an indelible contribution to the world of The Illusionist. With Glass’ music, we find ourselves caught
up in the drama and tension driving Eisenheim and Leopold’s inspector Uhl to
their respective destinies.
Incidentally, both The Illusionist and Nolan’s competing
film The Prestige were in fact
nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography, both losing to
Guillermo Navarro for his work on Pan’s
Labyrinth. While it didn’t take home
any Oscars, it did manager to win the National Board of Review Award for Top
Independent Film as well as winning Best Cinematography and Original Score from
the New York Film Critics.
In the years
since it release, The Illusionist isn’t
as readily mentioned as Nolan’s magician film but thanks to the good folks at
MVD Marquee Collection, filmgoers new and old now have a chance to judge for
themselves which of the three 2006 magician films was the best one?
--Andrew Kotwicki
